The use of cellular communication networks to exchange data communications with wireless devices can be supplemented with wireless local area networks (LANs), such as a personal WIFI network. The use of wireless LANs over cellular communication networks is beneficial because a wireless LAN may provide faster data transfer speeds and is not subject to a cellular network operator's bandwidth usage restrictions, among other reasons. Thus, a wireless device capable of communicating with wireless LANs and cellular networks will typically select a wireless LAN for data communications when a wireless LAN is accessible.
However, wireless LANs usually have a much smaller wireless signal coverage area when compared to cellular communication networks. Accordingly, a wireless device may easily move beyond the coverage area of a wireless LAN, which necessitates the use of a cellular communication network to exchange data communications. Since wireless LANs and cellular networks use different gateways to provide access to the internet, a wireless device in the middle of a data communication session will lose the data session when the device moves from a wireless LAN to a cellular network.
Overview
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods to provide data session continuity between wireless networks. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving a request to create a data session for a wireless communication device exchanging communications with a wireless local area network via a wireless access point. The method further provides determining an access point identifier for the wireless access point and selecting a control system for a cellular communication network of a plurality of cellular communication networks based on the access point identifier. The method further provides anchoring the data session to the control system.